Christmas is a very special time of year for Francophones around the world. Les marchés de Noël date back to the

Marche Colmar (Alsace)

fourteenth century in Germany, also in what is now known as the German-speaking region of France. The market was first called Le Marché de la Saint Nicolas. As far back as 1434, documentation regarding the Christmas market has been found from King Friedrich II de Saxe. One of the very first of its kind was a “Striezelmarkt” which was named after a dried fruit cake that was sold during this era. Later, during the sixteenth century, a reformation of these markets brought about a change in the market name to “Christkindlmarkt”, or “The Infant Jesus Market”, bringing even more religious reverence to the market’s meaning. These aptly named markets developed in eastern France, particularly in Strasbourg (in Alsace) in 1570.

Given the profound history of these markets, they have become well-known as places to find artisanal treasures, fine food, and festive celebrations. Christmas markets abound throughout France, found in most cities large and small, often on a main street of town or on a central city square. These markets are typically organized by a commune, and they may open as early as the middle of November, running all the way through the beginning of January. In a typical market, visitors may find vendors, Father Christmas, activities for the children and often an evening light show, an illumination of the town or city that takes place around nightfall.

Vin chaud

A typical staple of any good marché is a vin chaud, that hot mulled wine concoction flavored with a bit of orange, cinnamon, star anise and occasionally a bit of ginger. Served in tents or market stands, in shops and restaurants and even street corners throughout France, it is as much a part of the holidays as Père Noël. One can also find those delicious honey-and-spice cakes known by their Alsacian name of lebkuchen, often dipped in chocolate or powdered sugar, another tradition from the northeastern part of France.

Christmas markets are steeped in rich, historical traditions and unusual gift items, giving the visitor a perfect reason to make a December trip to France.

With a week left to go before Christmas, for those of you who are still scratching your heads for ideas for gifts, here are a few suggestions to give a French touch to your Noël.

1. French music: how about the First Lady’s new album? Carla Bruni’s “Comme si de rien n’était” is soft and easy listening, or for a different style, try pop singer ZAZ, (album of the same name) whose sassy original sound has taken France by storm. Both available on Amazon.
2. The best French umbrella made in Cherbourg: Available in different colors and styles, designed to totally protect from wind and rain, made in the Normandy seacoast town that starred in the 1964 film Les Parapluies de Cherboug. www.parapluiedecherbourg.com.
3. Escape to France vicariously every month with the stunning France Calendar 2012. 14 glossy photos of different towns and cities across the country. Days and months in both languages; French school and public holidays noted; forward planner for 2013. www.gbmags.com/calendar.
4. A subscription to France Magazine (www.francemag.com) or France Today (www.francetoday.com) to keep up with French life and style every month; available in both online and in print format.
5. Signature French cocktails: try a French martini made with the incomparable black raspberry liqueur crafted at the Château de la Sistière in the Loire Valley. Mix 15 ml of Chambord, 50 ml vodka, 60 ml fresh pineapple juice. C’est merveilleux! www.chambordonline.com
6. Or try Armagnac, the oldest brandy distilled in France. Originating in the 15^th century, this unique eau de vie is produced through a single distillation of white wine and then left to age in oak barrels. www.armagnac.fr. Mix a Christmas cocktail: 50 ml Blanche d’Armagnac, 1 kiwi, liquidized; 1 TBL spoon honey; 2 spring mint (including stems). Pour over crushed ice, garnished with slice of kiwi. Mmm, c’est si bon!
7. You can’t go wrong with a film starring one of France’s most popular actresses, Audrey Tatou: Venus Beauty Institute (1999); Amélie (2001); Dirty Pretty Things (2002); Priceless (2006); Coco Before Chanel (2009; Beautiful Lies (2011). www.amazon.com.
8. Gift a week’s vacation in the south of France! Reserve time at a private furnished townhouse with sweeping views of the Gorges du Loup near the French Riviera or an apartment in the quintessential Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence. www.greatfrenchrentals.com
9. Alphabet chocolates from St-Rémy-de-Provence. Specialty chocolatier Joël Durand sends you the flavors of Provence—almond, lemon, orange, thyme, rosemary, chestnuts, honey, violets, even olvies—crafted into each letter of the alphabet and six punctuation marks. www.chocolat-durand.com.
10. Any of the delightful gifts available from the boutique of the newly renovated Orsay Museum. www.boutiquesdemusees.fr

Group tours to Paris inevitably include a must-see visit to the Eiffel Tower, synonymous with the city of Paris. It is the most visited landmark in the world with nearly 7,000,000 people from every corner of the globe each year. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, who won the bid out of 107 bidders, and built in 1889 for the Universal Exposition to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, the iron-clad structure attests to its roots in infrastructure technology during the 19th century. It stands a whopping 324 meters high (1063 feet), with three levels, at a total weight of 22,000,000 pounds (10,100 tons).

A 360 degree, panoramic view of Paris is seen from the Eiffel Tower. The tower is illuminated in the evenings, and it sparkles with breathtaking vibrancy for 10 minutes every hour on the hour until 1:00 am each evening.

Each of the three levels offers a slightly different perspective overlooking Paris, each with a different admission price. The first level is 190 feet above the ground, the second- 380 feet, and the third- 900 feet. The first level is open and currently undergoing renovation, while boasting boutiques, restaurants, and even a cinema showcasing the history of the Eiffel tower. For visitors with children aged 6-10, a kid-friendly host named Gus helps these little tourists to learn about the Tower’s history. The second level offers 3 souvenir shops, and places to eat, including the well-known, modern and chic, “Jules Verne” restaurant. Reservations highly recommended. The third level shows a wax-figure reconstruction of Eiffel’s office. At the summit there is also a champagne bar, and interesting facts about La Tour Eiffel, such as how much paint is used every seven years to repaint the tower (60 tons).

The best views from the tower can be seen after dark, when the City of Lights shows its finery. Views of the city are often clearer and better defined without the haze of the daylight, and the lines of people waiting to go up are less long. Overlooking the Iena Bridge on one side and the beautiful Champs de Mars on the other, the Tower is the background setting to the most beautiful display of fireworks

Fireworks near the Eiffel Tower

display every national holiday, the 14th of July. A stroll along the Seine River invariably keeps the Tower in view. One of the nicest images of it is from the Mirabeau Bridge, where once can capture both the Tower and the miniature Statue of Liberty, which is posted on the Grenelle Bridge.

The Eiffel Tower is an incredible feat of architecture. Initially expected to last a mere 20 years, it has stood for more than 120 years, and has become the symbol of France/ Hours: every day from 9am to 11pm, and until 12 midnight during the summer. Metro stops: Bir-Hakeim, or Alma; Trocadero; RER-C Champs de Mars. Take a virtual tour HERE.

The Elysee Palace: presidential grandeur in Paris

Wondering where the French president lives and works? Right in the middle of Paris, in the Elysée Palace. In 1718, a town house was constructed on a plot of land in the then-sleepy area of Paris known as the Faubourg St-Honoré to serve as the residence of the Count of Evreux. Built and decorated between 1718 and 1722, the house was designed and laid out in accordance with the prevailing principles of contemporary architectural theory. At his death in 1753, the Comte left a town house that was admired by all his contemporaries, one of whom called it the finest country home in the neighbourhood of Paris. Passed on through the ages to various owners and occupiers, regal, powerful, socially connected and revolutionary, the palace has been transformed, redecorated, remodeled, modernized. In 1848, it was designed the official residence of the French president. Located at 55, rue du Faubourg St-Honore, the palace boasts beautiful private apartments, a presidential office, a wine cellar, a private florist, and magnificent English-style gardens. While it is not possible to tour the presidential palace, one can peek into the courtyard through the open gates on Wednesday mornings when the entire cabinet visits. If you’d like to get an idea of what the president eats, baker Rene Gerard St. Ouen brings fresh bread to the president twice daily; his boulangerie is located at 111 Boulevard Haussmann (metro Miromesnil, line 9). Take a marvelous virtual tour HERE of this elegant tribute to French architechture; you’ll see the entire palace getting ready for a president dinner. Spectaculaire!

The new Orsay Museum in Paris

Step inside the Musée d’Orsay and you may just wonder where you are. Le Nouvel Orsay has been the talk of Paris lately. So, after 18months of renovations, what exactly is new about it?

• More gallery space. Most of the new space comes from additional levels built inside the Amont pavilion. A welcome change for anyone used to elbowing their way through the crowds. New works will be brought out from storage, especially from Orsay’s decorative and graphic arts collection.

• New color, new floors, updated lighting. The white walls have mostly been replaced by blues, grays, and greens, and hardwood now covers the previously stone floors. Plus, with its warmer lighting you may think you’re in a living room rather than a museum. Overall, the New Orsay has a cozier, more intimate feel. Less, in fact, like a train station.

• New, more thought-provoking presentations. “We will put the artworks into context with other disciplines: history, literature, music, even philosophy and psychoanalysis,” says Museum director Guy Cogeval. Look for similarities, make connections. You’ll find Rodin sculptures, for example, in the Impressionists Gallery.

• Bigger cafe! The Café de l’Horloge was refurnished and expanded. More room for hungry crowds and souvenir shoppers.

• And that’s not all. More changes are to come, beginning in 2012 when renovations will begin again in the smaller galleries; projected finish date: 2015.

One thing about the Nouvel Orsay is NOT new, however: its October 20^th opening date was delayed a week by a workers’ strike !

Travel in the steps of the Impressionists as you roam throughout Provence. You’ll be struck by the many reminders of Vincent Van Gogh in Arles and nearby St-Remy-de-Provence. Many of his most famous paintings stem from his time in and around this area, where he lived from 1888 to 1889: his bright sunflowers, his curious bedroom in Arles, the atmospheric Night Café with its green billiard table and glowing lamps, as well as his famous Starry Night paintings (Starry Night, and Starry Night over the Rhone). He painted Arles’ narrow, cobblestone streets, its marketplaces and cafés, and the yellow house where he lived for a short time with his friend and fellow-painter, Paul Gaugin. The rich countryside of Provence also inspired him and he painted neatly-tilled cornfields and fertile valleys, orchards in bloom, sunsets near Arles, and cypresses in the moonlight, all in deep, rich oils of yellow, orange, green and blue.

Van Gogh suffered all his life from bouts of insanity – the people of Arles nicknamed him “le fou-roux” (the redheaded madman) – and it was indeed here in Provence that he cut off part of his right ear after a violent argument with Gaugin. “Starry Night” and several other well-known paintings and self-portraits (one showing his bandaged ear) were done when he was at the asylum in Saint-Remy, twenty miles from Arles. In the summer of 1890 Van Gogh died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is buried in Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris. His brother Theo reported Vincent’s last words as, “The sadness will last forever.” In spite of his dark and tragic end, Van Gogh should be remembered as his friend Gaugin once painted him in a portrait entitled: “Van Gogh, the Painter of Sunflowers” (1888).

For more about the life and the art of this tragic genius, much of whose life was spent in France in the company of the Impressionists, read the excellent biographical novel by Irving Stone: Lust for Life. You can also visit his room at the sanitorium in St Rémy which is a poignant reminder of his suffering.

Dispelling Some Myths about French & Americans

1) The French don’t like anyone who doesn’t speak French

False! The French are happy to show off their high school English when asked if they speak it. What they find offensive is when visitors to their country assume they speak English without first attempting a few words on French. Citizens of any country assume that incoming visitors will either learn the native language or at least make every attempt to master a few phrases when they arrive…and so, too, do the French. A simple sentence stammered out in French will get your question answered much more quickly and helpfully. If you master only one phrase in French, try « Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas français; parlez-vous anglais? »

2) French waiters are rude

False! Rather, French waiters don’t act like American waiters; they have a different set of cultural rules. Time spent by patrons in cafés is meant to be leisurely; you’re expected be there for a stretch.

So the waiter might take his time getting over to you. And since waiting tables in France is a profession, not a part-time job for college students, French waiters don’t tell you their name, nor do they announce that they’re happy to be your waiter for the evening, nor will they bring you your check until you ask for it. They’re there to take your order and bring you your food. Period. They don’t (usually) return to your table until the meal is over, and because they receive a salary independent of any tip you might care to leave, they don’t need to become your new best friend. So when your American sense of timing starts to raise your blood pressure as you wonder why your waiter hasn’t rushed over to your table, a winning smile and a friendly “Bonjour, Monsieur” will get you far better service than an angry stare or a frantic wave to induce them to come.

3) The French don’t like Americans

Au contraire! The French might not always agree with American politics, but they are usually quite charmed by [polite] American visitors to their country. They enjoy the American friendliness (which the French might dub as a certain naïveté), the indomitable spirit (unlike theirs, which is more tainted from centuries of warfare), and the profound American belief that anything is possible. They know it isn’t. So enjoy the French; they already like you. Just don’t bring up George Bush.

Looking for some hilarious reading about Parisians, or perhaps trying to discover their secrets? Olivier Magny’s new book, Stuff Parisians Like, might give you some insights. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy a good laugh with this excerpt, or better yet, have Olivier pour you one at his Parisian wine bar, O Chateau, and have a good laugh with him.

“For Parisians, having an expat friends displays fantastic ‘ouverture internationale’ and implies that the Parisian is both a gracious host and possibly a polyglot. Talking about his expat friend, the Parisian will always mention his nationality: ‘Tu sais, Mark, mon copain expat canadien.’ He will also make mention of the quality of his position: ‘Il a un très gros poste chez Microsoft … un type assez brillant vraiment.’ The Parisian will always compliment his expat friend publicly on his French: ‘Non, vraiment, il parle très bien. Non, c’est vrai Mark, tu as fait de gros progrès.’ The Parisian doesn’t think Mark’s French is any good but he likes to come across as the benevolent paternalist mentor.

Having an expat friend is about adding glow to the Parisian’s life. Not all countries come with the same glamorous touch. Having an American expat friend is the ultimate luxury, then comes South American, then other Anglo countries, then Italy. Having expat friends from any other country will only be acceptable in left-wing circles for whom the betrayal of having friends in the corporate world (losers) will be compensated by the unlikeliness of their country of origin.

Expats arriving in Paris are usually very keen to make Parisian friends and to work on their French. Soon enough, they give up on French and, not long after, on Parisians. Those who love the city enough end up re-creating a Parisian life with compatriots, other international folks and Parisians who have lived abroad long enough. Those who don’t just leave—disenchanted.

For Parisians with social ambitions, the quality of a social circle will be judged predominantly on the proportion of its internationals. The higher the proportion, the more desirable the circle. In this way, Parisians get a taste of adventure through their international friends. Between real job and real life, Parisians choose not to choose: they opt for real Parisian life.”